The Perfect Pound Cake

This is the best recipe I have found for pound cake.  Truly.  It’s supposed to be a layer cake recipe, but after I made it, I knew it was destined for loaf cake greatness.  It’s buttery and dense, with a tight crumb, but moist and golden, with a soft texture.  Like I said, the perfect pound cake!

It makes 2 loaves (12″ x 4″ x 2½” or 9″ x 5″).  I like to use 2 of these pans lined with parchment.  So bake one for your family, and give one away (or store it in the freezer for another time!).

This cake uses the reverse creaming method – which basically means all the dry ingredients are mixed together first with the sugar, followed by the fat and the liquids.  I especially love that the butter is used cold, since I’m rarely patient enough to softened butter!

Buttermilk Pound Cake Adapted from Sweetapolita

2 3/4 cup cake flour

2 cups sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

5 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 loaf baking pans (see above for size) with a sheet of parchment (so you can use the excess parchment to lift the cakes out of the hot pans – I use half size sheets which measure 12″ x 16″) and spray with nonstick spray – set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Using the paddle attachment, beat until the ingredients are combined.  If you have a mixer pouring shield, place that on top of your mixer for the next step, if not, you may want to wrap a clean dishtowel around the top to prevent flour flying everywhere.  With the mixer on low, add in the chunks of butter one at a time.  Once all the butter is added, set a timer for 3 minutes, and let the mixture continue to beat on low.

The mixture should look sandy.  In a liquid measuring cup, measure 1 cup of buttermilk, the vanilla, and the almond extract.  In another liquid measuring cup, measure the remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk, and whisk the eggs into it.

With the mixer on the lower end of medium, slowly add the buttermilk with extracts, and let it beat for 5 minutes (set a timer).  Scrape the bowl with a rubber scraper, then reduce the speed of the mixer to low, and add in the buttermilk/egg mixture in 3 parts.  Then scrape the bowl, and continue mixing batter on low for 2 minutes.

Scrape the bowl and mix a few times by hand to make sure all the dry ingredients are completely combined.  Then pour half the batter into each loaf pan.

Place the loaf pans in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.  Or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove the cake by lifting the parchment from the pan, to limit residual baking, and let cool on a wire rack.   Cakes are ready to serve once they’ve cooled completely.  Slice and top with fresh sweetened whip cream and berries.

Keeps for about 3-4 days covered at room temperature.

Sweetened Whip Cream Adapted from Carmella

1 cup heavy cream

6 Tablespoons sugar

In a medium mixing bowl, add heavy cream and sugar.  Beat with a hand-mixer on high speed for 1 minute to distribute the sugar.  Then let sit for about 4 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve.  Then beat on high until soft peaks form, maybe 2-3 minutes, more if needed.  Serve immediately.  Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.  Beat again, as needed, before serving.